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Blum's blast helps Peavy gain tie for NL lead in wins

Aug 28, 2007 - 6:09 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - Jake Peavy dominated the Arizona Diamondbacks and Geoff Blum made sure he got rewarded for his efforts.

Peavy threw seven terrific innings and Blum hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh as the San Diego Padres posted a 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday.

Peavy (15-5), who tied Atlanta's Tim Hudson for the National League lead in wins, struck out seven in a row at one point and 11 for the game.

"I was able to get some big strikeouts," Peavy said. "I just feel like that's the way I've got to pitch. I can't go out there and pitch to contact. The type of pitcher I am, when I try to get them to hit it, I create problems for myself."

Peavy, who leads the NL in strikeouts with 197, allowed just one run and three hits. The 26-year-old All-Star walked three while picking up his sixth straight victory.

Peavy's first-inning strikeout of Orlando Hudson moved him past Andy Benes for the franchise lead with 1,037.

"Jake has been pitching well over the last six weeks," Padres manager Bud Black said. "The starts have been very solid, and he just continued that tonight. He had a good look in his eye prior to this game but he does every game. So, it's no news."

However, one of the three hits he allowed was a solo homer by Eric Byrnes in the sixth that snapped a scoreless tie. Byrnes hit a 2-2 slider into the left field seats, marking the first run Peavy allowed to Arizona in 20 innings.

"I probably made a few (mistakes)," Peavy said. "I didn't make many of those pitches that (Byrnes) hit out of the ballpark, but good players when they're seeing the ball, they do what he did."

Arizona starter Livan Hernandez (9-9) outdueled Peavy into the seventh inning, but Josh Bard drew a two-out walk and Blum sent a 3-2 fastball into the stands in right field for a 2-1 lead.

"(Hernandez) threw a fastball, which kind of shocked me," Blum said. "I know that when I've faced him in the past, he's throw a lot of off-speed stuff 3-2, but he left a fastball out over the plate 3-2, and I got a hold of it."

It was the only mistake made by Hernandez, who gave up six hits over seven innings while striking out three and walking one.

"It was the two-out walk and then just the one pitch (to Blum)," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "It was one of the few balls that was squared up, and it's 2-1 right there. It was a well-pitched game by both sides. Both starters pitched great." Milton Bradley added a solo homer in the eighth for San Diego (71-59), which has won five of six and trails Arizona (74-58) by two games in the NL West.

"This is a huge series for us, and we know that," Peavy said. "We're playing catch-up. We want to be division champions and we feel like we can do that. Tonight was a big win."

Heath Bell contributed a scoreless eighth before baseball's all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman worked out of a first-and-third jam to pick up his 34th save in 39 chances.

Conor Jackson added two hits for Arizona, which had won two straight and 11 of 14 on the road.